Deals

Lucuma Powder: The New Superfood Sweetener You’ve Been Waiting For

Last Update: September 29, 2022

In Peru, kids don’t ask for chocolate-vanilla swirl, strawberry with sprinkles, or plain vanilla. Nope, the most in-demand ice cream flavor is lucuma. One lick and you’d get why—slightly maple-flavored and delicately sweet, lucuma fruit is a favorite across South America.

Even if the local Dairy Queen doesn’t carry this flavor (yet!), you can still get your lucuma fix: Substitute it for sugar in almost any recipe to beat high blood glucose levels and to get superfood benefits—while eating dessert!

Lucuma Fruit

What is lucuma? Lucuma fruit look a little like a rounder, unripe avocado. Once opened, they reveal bright orange flesh that delivers beta carotene, vitamin A, and B vitamins, much like sweet potatoes or yams. Lucuma can be eaten raw or cooked, but it’s even more popular in powder form.

Lucuma Powder

Silky and soft, lucuma powder tastes a little like maple syrup and is far sweeter than the fruit itself. But it also contains a higher concentration of antioxidants like beta carotene, niacin, and minerals including zinc, potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron.

Lucuma Benefits

Unlike other alternative sweeteners like agave or even honey, lucuma doesn’t cause blood sugar to skyrocket. This is thanks, in part, to lucuma’s relatively high fiber content. The sweet powder has about 2 grams per tablespoon, so adding a bit to your smoothie, cookie batter, or ice cream will help with digestion and feed gut bacteria.

Try this superfood in our lucuma eggnog, or add it to our favorite instant ice cream recipe for a Thrive take on this Peruvian favorite.

Share this article

Michelle Pellizzon

Certified health coach and endorphin enthusiast, Michelle is an expert in healthy living and eating. When she's not writing you can find her running trails, reading about nutrition, and eating lots of guacamole.

Download the app for easy shopping on the go

By providing your mobile number, you agree to receive marketing text messages from Thrive Market. Consent not a condition to purchase. Msg & data rates apply. Msg frequency varies. Reply HELP for help and STOP to cancel.


If you are visually-impaired and having difficulty with our website, call us at 1‑855‑997‑2315

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

© Thrive Market 2024 All rights reserved.